1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to improved information processing systems. In particular, the present invention relates to multiple networks in which information processing systems are utilized. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved browser method and system. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved method and system for automatic task focus swapping during browser wait time.
2. Description of the Related Art
The development of computerized distributed information resources, such as the xe2x80x9cInternet,xe2x80x9d allows users to link with servers and networks, and thus retrieve vast amounts of electronic information heretofore unavailable in an electronic medium. Such electronic information increasingly is displacing more conventional techniques of information transmission, such as newspapers, magazines, and even television. The term xe2x80x9cInternetxe2x80x9d is an abbreviation for xe2x80x9cInternetwork,xe2x80x9d and refers commonly to a collection of computer networks that utilize the TCP/IP suite of protocols, well-known in the art of Computer networking. TCP/IP is an acronym for xe2x80x9cTransport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol,xe2x80x9d a software protocol developed by the Department of Defense for communication between computers.
Electronic information transferred between computer networks (e.g., the Internet) can be presented to a user in hypertext, a metaphor for presenting information in a manner in which text, images, sounds, and actions become linked together in a complex non-sequential web of associations that permit the user to xe2x80x9cbrowsexe2x80x9d through related topics, regardless of the presented order of the topics. These links are often established by both the author of a hypertext document and by the user, depending on the intent of the hypertext document. For example, traveling among hypertext links to the word xe2x80x9cironxe2x80x9d in an article displayed within a graphical user interface in a computer system might lead the user to the periodic table of the chemical elements (i.e., linked by the word xe2x80x9cironxe2x80x9d), or to a reference to the use of iron in weapons in Europe in the Dark Ages. The term xe2x80x9chypertextxe2x80x9d is utilized to describe documents, as presented by a computer, that express the nonlinear structure of ideas, as opposed to the linear format of books, film, and speech.
Hypertext, especially in an interactive format where choices are controlled by the user, is structured around the idea of offering a working and learning environment that parallels human thinkingxe2x80x94that is, an environment that allows the user to make associations between topics rather than moving sequentially from one topic to the next, as in an alphabetic list. Hypertext topics are linked in a manner that allows users to jump from one subject to other related subjects during a search for information.
Networked systems utilizing hypertext conventions typically follow a client/server architecture. A xe2x80x9cclientxe2x80x9d is a member of a class or group that utilizes the services of another class or group to which it is not related. In the context of a computer network such as the Internet, a client is a process (i.e., roughly a program or task) that requests a service provided by another program. The client process utilizes the requested service without having to xe2x80x9cknowxe2x80x9d any working details about the other program or the service itself. In networked systems, a client is usually a computer that accesses shared network resources provided by another computer (i.e., a server).
A xe2x80x9cserverxe2x80x9d is typically a remote computer system accessible over a communications medium such as the Internet. The server scans and searches for raw (e.g., unprocessed) information sources (e.g., newswire feeds or newsgroups). Based upon such requests by the user, the server presents filtered electronic information to the user as server responses to the client process. The client process may be active in a first computer system, and the server process may be active in a second computer system, and communicate with one another over a communications medium that allows multiple clients to take advantage of the information-gathering capabilities of the server.
Client and server communicate with one another utilizing the functionality provided by a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP). The World Wide Web (WWW) or, simply, the xe2x80x9cweb,xe2x80x9d includes all servers adhering to this protocol, which are accessible to clients via a Universal Resource Locator (URL). Internet services can be accessed by specifying Universal Resource Locators that have two basic components: a protocol to be used and an object pathname. For example, the Universal Resource Locator address, xe2x80x9chttp://www.uspto.govxe2x80x9d (i.e., the xe2x80x9chome pagexe2x80x9d for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office), specifies a hypertext transfer protocol (xe2x80x9chttpxe2x80x9d) and a pathname of the server (xe2x80x9cwww.uspto.govxe2x80x9d). The server name is associated with a unique numeric value (TCP/IP address). Active within the client is a first process, known as a xe2x80x9cbrowser,xe2x80x9d that establishes the connection with the server and presents information to the user. The server itself executes corresponding server software that presents information to the client in the form of HTTP responses. The HTTP responses correspond to xe2x80x9cweb pagesxe2x80x9d constructed from a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), or other server-generated data.
A xe2x80x9cweb pagexe2x80x9d (also referred to by some designers simply as a xe2x80x9cpagexe2x80x9d) is a data file written in a hyper-text language that may have text, graphic images, and even multimedia objects such as sound recordings or moving video clip s associated with that data file. The web page can be displayed as a viewable object within a computer system. A viewable object can contain one or more components such as spreadsheets, text, hotlinks, pictures, sound, and video objects. A web page can be constructed by loading one or more separate files into an active directory or file structure that is then displayed as a viewable object within a graphical user interface.
When a client workstation sends a request to a server for a web page, the server first transmits (at least partially) the main hypertext file associated with the web page, and then loads, either sequentially or simultaneously, the other files associated with the web page. A given file may be transmitted as several separate pieces via TCP/IP protocol. The constructed web page is then displayed as a viewable object on the workstation monitor. A webpage may be xe2x80x9clargerxe2x80x9d than the physical size of the monitor screen , and devices such as graphical user interface scroll bars can be utilized by the viewing software (i.e., the browser) to view different portions of the web page.
A problem associated with the transmission of hypertext files, web pages, and other server data to local network sites or client workstations is the period of time involved in waiting for this data to be transferred and displayed for utilization by the user. Browsing the web requires a great deal of waiting. The user may perform other tasks while waiting. However, it is cumbersome to switch between tasks running simultaneously within the local network site or client workstation when data is being transferred from the remote network site or server. Those skilled in the computer arts will appreciate that a user simply can swap back and forth between applications during browser wait periods, or an xe2x80x9ceditxe2x80x9d session may be displayed along side the browser session.
However, such methods are cumbersome on smaller displays. On a small display, if the browser is covered, the user cannot discern appropriately when data has been completely transferred to the local network site or client workstation from the remote network site (i.e, the server). Also, there is no readily available method of selecting the browser if the user is unaware that the data has been successfully transferred. If searching the web is a primary activity at the moment, the user may be distracted at the secondary activity and not realize that a particular web page is ready for display. In addition, when displayed side by side, the xe2x80x9cfill-inxe2x80x9d of the web page can be distracting as the user works on a secondary task.
Based on the foregoing, it can be appreciated that a need exists for a method and system which would automatically swap back and forth between applications during browser wait periods. Such a method and system would immediately inform and assist the user in turning to the priority task at hand as soon as it is available.
It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide for an improved browser method and system.
It is therefore another object of the present invention to provide an improved information processing system.
It is yet another object to provide improved method and system for automatic task focus swapping during browser wait time.
The above and other objects are achieved as is now described. A method and system in a computer within a computer network are disclosed for automatically swapping application tasks running within the computer when access from the computer to a remote network site is delayed. Initially, a link from a local network site to a remote network site utilizing a communications application while multi-tasking applications are simultaneously running at the local network site is initiated. Data retrieval from the remote network site is then initiated, in response to initiating the link. Focus is then automatically switched from the communications application to a multi-tasking application simultaneously running at the local network site, in response to initiation of the date retrieval. In response to completion of the data retrieval, user notification of such completion is automatically provided.
In one embodiment, that notification is provided by automatically switching focus back to the communications programs. In addition, focus may be automatically switched back to the communications application from the multi-tasking application after expiration of a predetermined time period. Distinction may be made between time-consuming links and immediate links. In such a case, a determination is made whether the link invoked is a time-consuming link or an immediate link, and focus is automatically switched to a multi-tasking application simultaneously running at the network site, in response to completion of the data retrieval, only if the link comprises a time-consuming link. However, if the link is an immediate link, focus remains within the communications application retrieving data from the remote network site. The communications application may be implemented as a browser application.